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The differences between software development managers and software development engineers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a software development manager, becoming a software development engineer takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a software development manager has an average salary of $134,747, which is higher than the $109,147 average annual salary of a software development engineer.
The top three skills for a software development manager include java, AWS and architecture. The most important skills for a software development engineer are java, software development, and AWS.
| Software Development Manager | Software Development Engineer | |
| Yearly salary | $134,747 | $109,147 |
| Hourly rate | $64.78 | $52.47 |
| Growth rate | 21% | 21% |
| Number of jobs | 265,464 | 356,971 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
A software development manager is an individual who manages teams of software developers that design and create software applications and web services for clients. Software development managers should delegate duties and establish development standards for the development team as well as create a budget and timeline for the project. They must meet with management to discuss how software applications can achieve business objectives. Once the software has been developed, software development managers must train technical and non-technical end-users. They must also be skilled in different programming languages such as HTML, SQL, and JavaScript.
A software development engineer is responsible for designing and developing software systems and applications based on clients' specifications and business needs. Software development engineers manage operating systems and analyze network codes to maintain the compatibility of the software applications and control systems. They also run diagnostic tests for every software structure to ensure smooth navigations and perform immediate troubleshooting for inconsistencies. A software development engineer must have a strong command of programming languages, as well as technological processes and analytical skills.
Software development managers and software development engineers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Software Development Manager | Software Development Engineer | |
| Average salary | $134,747 | $109,147 |
| Salary range | Between $100,000 And $180,000 | Between $80,000 And $147,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | California |
| Best paying company | Meta | Meta |
| Best paying industry | Technology | Technology |
There are a few differences between a software development manager and a software development engineer in terms of educational background:
| Software Development Manager | Software Development Engineer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 71% | Bachelor's Degree, 70% |
| Most common major | Computer Science | Computer Science |
| Most common college | Stanford University | Harvard University |
Here are the differences between software development managers' and software development engineers' demographics:
| Software Development Manager | Software Development Engineer | |
| Average age | 44 | 39 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 85.1% Female, 14.9% | Male, 79.6% Female, 20.4% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 6.2% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 8.8% Asian, 12.0% White, 67.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% | Black or African American, 4.7% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 8.4% Asian, 32.7% White, 49.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 11% | 8% |